Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2020, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Syrian Arab Republic (Ratification: 1958)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

Article 1(c) and (d) of the Convention. Imposition of sanctions involving compulsory labour as a means of labour discipline or as a punishment for having participated in strikes. For many years, the Committee has been referring to the following provisions under which a penalty of imprisonment (involving an obligation to perform labour) may be imposed in the circumstances which may fall into the scope of Article 1(c) and (d) of the Convention:

• – the Economic Penal Code (Legislative Decree No. 37 of May 1966): sections 7, 10, 11, 13 and 22 (failure by a State employee to carry out public activities, and negligence in handling of public property);
• – the Agricultural Labour Code (Act No. 134 of 1958): sections 160 and 262 (strikes organized by agricultural workers); and
• – the Penal Code: sections 331 and 334 (strikes organized by workers).

The Committee has recalled in this respect that the imposition of a penalty of imprisonment involving compulsory prison labour as a punishment for breaches of labour discipline or for having participated in strikes is incompatible with the Convention.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that it has undertaken a series of legislative reforms, including the adoption of a new Penal Code. In this regard, the Committee requests the Government to indicate whether the legislative reforms have also included the abrogation of the Economic Penal Code and the Agricultural Labour Code. The Committee also requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the above-mentioned provisions are brought into line with the Convention and to provide information on the progress made in this regard.